Shakedown device for thermometers



Aug. 24, 1948. G. A. CASWELL SHAKE-DOWN DEVICE FOR THERMOMETERS Filed March 19, 1947 W m m m GEORGE A'. CASWELL ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 24 1948 SHAKEDOWN DEVICE FOR THERMOMETERS George A. Caswell, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Taylor Instrument Companies, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 19, 1947, Serial No. 735,633

3 Claims. (Cl. 73-473) This invention rel t s to a shake-d wn device for use with a self-registering thermometer.

Self-re istering thermometers and particularly those used as fever thermometers, must have their mercury indicating columns restored to a reading lower than a given minimum value, before each succeeding use. Currently the user restores the mercury column of a fever thermometer bv grasping the upper end of the stem thereof between his thumb and forefinger. Then he shakes the thermometer smartly so that some of the mercury in the thermometer stem is forced past the contraction into t e thermometer bulb. Many individuals find it d fficult to shake down the u ual fever thermometer and when the therrpnmntar is: nf the tvrm, referral-l to a: 9, hard shaker, resulting from improper fabrication, ma v persons are un ble to shake down the indicat n merc rv column thereof,

Va ious arrangements have been sug ested for shak ng down a fever thermometer. but all of them have fa led to rece ve w de acce tance due to some or a l of the fo ow n fac ors such as lack of reliability, complexity or high cost of manufacture.

The shake down device of the present nve tion has for its p r ose a rel i elv s m le and i expe s ve construction which provides a high degree of effect veness,

The inv ntion w l best he un r o h r ferenee to the de crip n and claims when taken wi th d aw n s n which:

F 1 is a pe s ective v ew f the hake dnwn dev ce of e e n ention ind cating the ma ner n which it is used;

F g. 2 is a front view of a thermometer case w th a ever thermometer there n and a cap th r for with a art of the can brok n away to il ustrate how t e sh ke down loom (shown on y in art) are fasten d in the can: and

Fig. 3 is a pers ect ve view of the shake down loops b fore assembly into the cap, while Fig. 3A shows other loops.

The shake down device of this invention includes a case 5 of suitable size to receive a selfregistering thermometer 6. The open end of the thermometer case is closed by a cap 1, the case and the cap having interengaging portions thereon, such as screw threads, to lock these parts detachably together. The cap has secured to the closed end thereof, two flexible loops 8 and 9. Specifically, the closed end of the cap has an opening I0 provided therein. Two pieces of cord II and [2 or like flexible material are tied together to form an endless piece, by knotting their respective ends together as indicated at l3 and M. The pieces of cord between the knots l3 and M are inserted into the open end of the cap and are then drawn through the opening ID in the cap until the knots are lodged against the inner surface of the cap. The portions of the cords that are drawn through the cap, form the loops 8 and 9.

When it is desired to shake down a thermometer, such as 6, it is inserted in the case 5. The cap I is then screwed on the case. The user next inserts a finger of one hand into the loop 8 and a finger of his other hand into the loop 9. Thereafter, the user moves his arms in spaced relation to swing the thermometer and its case in a circle until the cords at each side of each loop are tightly twisted on each other with the result that each loop is shortened. Next, the user quickly draws his hands apart thereby causing the case with the thermometer therein to sp n while untwisting. This spinning of the thermometer causes some of the mercury column in the indicating portion of the thermometer stem to be forced by centrifugal action into the thermometer bulb until the height of the remaining forms of the invention but it will be understood that each loop can be replaced by a piece of cord fastened to the cap, the two pieces of cord being manipulated in like manner as the mentioned loo s.

What I claim is:

1. In a shake-down device for a self-registering thermometer, a case having an open end for receiving a thermometer, a cap detachably secured to the open end of said case to close the same, said cap having a perforation therein in the extremity of the closed end thereof, and a pair of flexible loops retained in said cap and extending through said perforation.

2. In a shake-down device for a self-registering thermometer, a case having an open end for receiving a thermometer, a cap detachably secured to the open end of said case to close the game, said cap having a perforation therein in the extremity of the closed end thereof, and two pieces of cord knotted together to form a. continuous piece, the parts of the cord between the knots extending through said perforation with the knots engaging the inside of said cap.

3. In a shake-clown device for a self-registering thermometer, a. case having an open end for receiving a thermometer, a cap detachably secured to the gagen endgpf saidcase toclo se ,the same, saidwcap having a perforation therein in the extremity of the closed end thereof, and two 10 pieces of cord, each piece having its ends knotted together to form a loop, the resulting loops being drawn through said perforation with-saidknots engaging the inside of said can,

oee in-lfimwm REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

